Does Higgins Building Have A Future?

Senior Ciizens Center Also At Crossroads

ENFIELD — Depending on the perspective, the enormous brick- and-stone Higgins School building is either an architectural treasure showcasing the history of Thompsonville, or a decrepit white elephant.

Taxpayers and town officials are likely to examine both views -- and ultimately be guided by one of them -- as they discuss a proposal to create a senior center at Higgins.

At a hearing last week, dozens of senior citizens applauded as speakers harshly criticized the plan. Many people in the audience, though, emphasized that they want Enfield to restore the Higgins building -- but not as a senior center.

Town officials reminded the crowd that Higgins is in desperate need of extensive fire-code and building-code work, and is deteriorating quickly this year because rainwater pours through its ruined roof. The building hasn't been used as a school for about 20 years, and now houses just a few town offices and the local food pantry for the needy.

Some taxpayers at the meeting suggested that Higgins might make a good day-care center, and several suggested that Enfield should refurbish the building to house the school administrative offices. Nobody spoke to razing the building for $500,000 to $1 million.

Tonight at 7, voters are invited to a public forum at the Hazardville firehouse about the $6.5 million to gut and rebuild Higgins as a state- of-the-art senior center. Supporters want to put the issue to voters as a referendum question on the November ballot.

Senior citizens have complained that their High Street senior center is too cramped and antiquated, but have balked of moving to a renovated school. Instead, they want a new building for their center, likely to run about $6.5 million as well.

But town officials have noted that architects are estimating it would cost $3.5 million to properly renovate Higgins into offices.

Several speakers last week criticized the Higgins senior center plan but urged that Higgins be salvaged.None however, suggested how Enfield could persuade voters to support roughly $10 million in building work -- $6.5 million for a new senior center, $3.5 million for the Higgins remodeling. Also, nobody has publicly said whether the school offices would fit at Higgins.

Councilor William ``Red'' Edgar said Enfield might pay for the most urgent Higgins work -- about $700,000 for a roof -- from its operating budget over the next two years. Meanwhile, it could study the need for a new senior center. Later, the town could decide what to do with Higgins and how much to spend, he said.